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At least 235 records · Page 13

Microscale Observation via High-Speed X-ray Diffraction of Alloy 718 During In Situ Laser Melting

The laser melting process is accompanied by rapid evolution in temperature, phase, structure, and strain because of its high heating and cooling rates. In this study, the evolution of grains within a thin solid plate of Ni alloy 718 during laser processing was probed with in situ high-energy x-ray diffraction experiments. The high temporal and spatial resolution available in the measurement allowed us to study the rapid evolution of the melted region beneath the surface of the sample. The characterization of the evolution of secondary phases, i.e., Laves and carbide, was captured despite the weak diffracted peaks caused by small volume fractions. Thermal history was estimated based on changes in the lattice spacing from the thermal contraction upon cooling. In conclusion, the temporal variation in 2θ with azimuthal direction revealed the evolution in anisotropy of lattice spacing and thus of the mechanical state during laser processing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Effects of ZrN coating and heat treatment on U-Mo dispersion fuel systems under irradiation

The stability of U-Mo fuel particles embedded in an Al matrix under irradiation can be enhanced through ZrN coatings and/or heat treatment. Here, the present study investigates the irradiation behavior of fuel plates containing U-Mo fuel particles fabricated under various heat-treatment conditions and ZrN coating thicknesses. Different fission densities were also applied to each fuel plate to evaluate the effects of these variables. Results indicate that higher fission densities lead to more grain recrystallization and high burnup structure (HBS) development in the fuel particles. Heat treatment was found to mitigate the accumulation of fission gas bubbles in fuel particles at low fission densities by coarsening their grains. Fuel particles with ZrN coatings of a 1.2 μm thickness or above exhibited reduced formation of U-Mo/Al interaction layers, suggesting the existence of a critical ZrN coating thickness that minimizes the development of these layers. Fission gas bubbles were predominantly observed at grain boundaries of U-Mo fuel particles irradiated at low fission densities. Subgrain boundaries, which appeared to originate from the original grain boundaries containing fission gas bubbles or HBSs, were also observed, indicating the early stage of HBS propagation in the fuel particles.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Spectral studies of soft x-ray radiation of laser-produced plasma of various target materials in a wide spectral range

Here, the work is devoted to experimental study of soft X-ray radiation spectra of laser produced plasma in a wide spectral range 5–100 Å at the “Kamerton” facility (GPI) with pulse duration 70 ps, pulse energy 1–5 J, wavelength 0.53 microns at which the laser intensity (power flux density) of 7×10 14 – 3.5×10 15 W/cm 2 was achieved. A spectrograph was used, which had transmission diffraction gratings with a ratio of the elementary gap to the period of the structure of 0.25 and 0.41. Detection was performed on both UV-4 X-ray photo film and Fuji TR fluorescent imaging plate. Solid samples from Al, Si, Ti, Cu, Ta and W were used as targets. The ionization states of the plasma corresponding to various electron temperatures were calculated, which made it possible to estimate the electron temperature by comparison these calculation results with the experimentally obtained spectra. The estimated electron temperature, which depends on the laser pulse energy and the target material, varied within the range of 100–450 eV. To verify the correctness of the temperature estimations obtained by such comparison a numerical simulation of plasma radiation was carried out by the use of PrismSPECT computer program. It was found that the results of this simulation are in a good agreement with estimations on the base of experimentally obtained spectra. The analysis of these spectra showed that tantalum, tungsten or titanium targets are the best candidates among the tested ones for the use of laser produced plasma as a radiation source in the "water window" spectral range (23–44 Å) for applications in biology and medicine.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Experimental Demonstration of Charge-Balanced GaN Super-Heterojunction Schottky Barrier Diode Capable of 2.8 kV Switching

This letter reports an experimental demonstration of charge-balanced GaN super-heterojunction Schottky barrier diodes (SHJ-SBDs). Charge balance between the n-type delta-doping and the p-type doping was achieved by adjusting the thickness of the pGaN. Furthermore, this device structure enabled scaling of breakdown voltage to over 3 kV, and dynamic switching up to 2.8 kV without using any field-plate.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Modeling Nondestructive Defect Detection in Additively Manufactured Metallic Structures for Nuclear Applications

The future of quickly, economically produced metallic nuclear reactor parts with minimal supply-chain dependence lies in Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) Additive Manufacturing (AM): a 3D printing method involving laser melting and net shaping stainless steel and Inconel metallic powder into a solid structure. However, intrinsic features in LPBF frequently leads to the formation of materials defects, such as pores, within 3D printed structures. As safe long-term use in energy applications requires knowledge of all relevant defects before deployment in a reactor, we must develop methods for nondestructive detection of these defects. We are investigating Pulsed Thermal Tomography (PTT), which is a non-contact nondestructive imaging method scalable to arbitrary structure size. Thermal tomography (TT) is a computational method for 3D spatial reconstruction of material thermal effusivity from flash or pulsed thermography temperature data cube. Thermography data cube consists of 2D surface temperature measurements at different times. The objective of the present work is to investigate limits on defect detection in AM metallic structures with PTT. To this effect, we modeled PTT with COMSOL heat transfer computer simulations. We developed a layered media COMSOL simulation consisting of a Stainless Steel 316 (SS316) plate with an internal layer of un-sintered SS316 powder. Thermophysical properties of the powder layer were modeled with equivalent volume mixing model. To account for partial sintering at the boundary of the defect, the transition between solid and powder layers was modeled as a Gaussian. Using data from COMSOL simulations, we reconstructed depth-dependent thermal effusivity, which allowed defect visibility estimation. A series of parametric studies determined that at 1mm depth, 50µm is the smallest detectable defect. In addition, classification of the defects which can lead to early fatigue of the metallic structure in a reactor is briefly discussed.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

ECAR-6580 Rev 0 ASME Section III, Division 5 Analysis of the MARVEL PCS and GVS Top Corner

The purpose of this Engineering Calculations and Analysis Report (ECAR) is to document the structural evaluation for part of the Microreactor Applications Research Validation and Evaluation (MARVEL) Primary Coolant System (PCS) and Guard Vessel System (GVS). For the PCS this relates specifically to the Distribution Plenum (DP), The Intermediate Heat Exchanger (IHX), and the Upper Downcomer (UD). For the GVS, this will include only the top corner that is machined into the DP Top Plate. These components will be evaluated using the 2021 version of ASME Section III, Division 5 [1] which is a design code that governs the construction of vessels, storage tanks, piping, pumps, valves, supports, core support structures and nonmetallic core components for use in high temperature reactor systems and their supporting systems. Materials at high temperature are subject to creep and fatigue mechanisms that require additional analyses that aren’t covered in ASME Section III, Division 1 rules. Division 5 contains two approaches: elastic or inelastic, however, additional Code Cases specific to Division 5, allow for an Elastic-Perfectly Plastic (EPP) approach. The components analyzed in this ECAR will use a combination of the elastic and EPP approach. Only Design and Service Levels A and B are evaluated in this ECAR. Service Level D evaluations for the entire PCS are documented in ECAR-6564, “MARVEL Project Primary Coolant System Pressure Vessel Stress Documentation” [2] and for the entire GVS are documented in ECAR-6574, “MARVEL Guard Vessel System FEA and ASME Analysis” [3]. The Design and Service Level A and B analyses for the PCS Downcomer piping and Core Barrel are documented in ANL-24/36, "Engineering Calculations and Analysis of the Core Barrel and Downcomer Piping in the MARVEL PCS” [4], and the GVS (except for the top corner) is in ECAR-6574, “MARVEL Guard Vessel System FEA and ASME Analysis.” See Section 2.0 for more detail on the analysis boundaries.

21 - SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLAN↗

Structural, Criticality, and Radiation Dose Calculations to support SNF Loading into a DOE Standard Canister

The DOE Standard Canister Demonstration Project includes the development of an internal support structure (ISS) for the 4.6-m long and 45.7-cm diameter canister. This study presents structural evaluations, criticality safety assessments, and dose rate calculations conducted within the scope of the ISS design process to support smooth canister loading operations and to ensure safe storage, transportation, and disposal of Peach Bottom 1 Core II (PB2) and Fort St. Vrain (FSV) SNF, currently stored at the CPP-603 facility of the INL. The ISS includes a 316L stainless steel basket that holds twelve PB2 SNF rods. Further, six individual, 78.7-cm long, 316L stainless steel columns are equally spaced and welded to the inner canister wall at the lower end of the shell. These columns represent the FSV basket and can hold one FSV SNF element. An A92014 T6 aluminum spacer disc is bolted to the bottom plate of the PB2 basket to vertically restrain the FSV SNF element after the PB2 basket is placed inside the canister on top of the FSV basket. The structural evaluations of the ISS followed applicable ASME BPVC.III.3 guidelines and included finite element (FE) analyses of the PB2 basket structure; analyses of welds and bolds; buckling analyses of selected components, and acceptability assessments of the expected basket deformations under loading operations. The criticality safety assessments used the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) software architecture version 6.2 including ENDF/B-V continuous energy cross-section libraries, considering intact SNF in a single storage overpack or two multi-storage overpack configurations, and intact or failed SNF configured for disposal. The dose rate computations are based on source terms taken from the DOE Spent Fuel Database. The isotopic composition was decay corrected for the year 2022 using the ORIGEN module in the SCALE suite. A 19-group photon spectrum and 27-group neutron-source spectra were generated and used in MCNP to calculate estimated dose-equivalent rates, both on DOE Standard Canister contact and at a radial distance of from the canister surface. The results of this study indicate a structurally sound system that can uphold its criticality safety functions throughout its intended operational phases. Further, they increase confidence that sufficient radiological protection is technically achievable.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Statistical evaluation of microscale stress conditions leading to void nucleation in the weak shock regime

Here, we investigate the heterogeneity of the stress state driven by anisotropic deformation response at the single crystal level through five statistical volume element (SVE) calculations of polycrystalline BCC tantalum. This work focuses on grain boundaries as a prominent material defect type prone to void nucleation based upon experimental observations of predominantly intergranular void nucleation in this material. The SVEs are constructed to be statistically representative of larger volumes of material and are meshed such that mean and standard deviation of grain size and orientation information is reconstructed. The computational meshes feature hexahedral (brick) elements and smooth conformal grain boundaries where significant stress concentration is known to occur, a tail effect of interest in the extreme events process of dynamic ductile damage. An existing micromechanical crystallographic plasticity model shown to capture the single crystal behavior of BCC tantalum well is used to perform the polycrystal calculations. The model includes representation of the non-Schmid effect of non-planar screw dislocation kinetics in tantalum. A three-dimensional stress state time profile predicted by damage modeling of a flyer plate impact experiment is applied as boundary conditions to each SVE. Resulting grain boundary stress state statistics are strongly non-Gaussian. Significant structural evolution is observed within the compressive hold before unloading into tension in the stress profile. Strong angular dependence of grain boundary traction magnitude with shock direction is observed. Non-Schmid effects continue to suggest their influence on propensity of microstructural defect types to nucleate voids. A general void nucleation criterion is proposed using probability theory. The general framework is specified to polycrystalline BCC tantalum in the weak shock regime to include the SVE calculations and literature molecular dynamics calculations of grain boundary void nucleation strength. Probability density functions (PDFs) are used to describe the interaction between the local stress state heterogeneity and the distributed grain boundary void nucleation strength state. A causation entropy maximization procedure removes the requirement for ad hoc selection of a PDF functional form and provides a rigorous procedure for data-based PDF determination. The resulting physically informed PDF describes the spatial appearance frequency of nucleated voids as a function of applied macroscale pressure. Lower length scale physics are thus packaged in a precise and computationally efficient way to provide computational plasticity insight to macroscale dynamic ductile damage models.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A finite-strain rate- and pressure-dependent constitutive framework for analyzing shock compression behavior of cemented tungsten carbides to 100 GPa

In the present study a thermodynamically-consistent finite-strain rate-and-pressure-dependent constitutive framework is implemented to analyze the shock-compression behavior of cemented tungsten carbides to 100 GPa. Central to this framework is the use of logarithmic strain with a set of invariant basis that allow the Cauchy stress tensor to be expressed as a sum of three response terms that are mutually orthogonal, thus permitting a complete separation of the deviatoric and volumetric (pressure) response. An overstress viscoplasticity model that includes strain and strain rate hardening along with thermal softening is used to represent the deviatoric response, while a complete Mie-Grüneisen equation of state (EoS) is used to obtain the pressure response. Using this formulation, the shock-induced compression behavior of cemented tungsten carbide - obtained from planar plate impact experiments using a 30 mm powder gun to peak stresses of up to ~100 GPa - is analyzed to better understand the structure of the measured shock wave profiles and the associated in-material shock quantities. Of particular interest is the evolution of material inelasticity and strength, and temperature in the tungsten carbide samples during the shock compression process.

Cemented tungsten carbide↗

The Sensitivity of Joint Inversions of Seismic and Geodynamic Data to Mantle Viscosity

Seismic tomography has revealed the existence of large-scale velocity heterogeneities in the mantle. The interpretation of seismic velocity anomalies in terms of temperature and chemical composition is nonunique. We use geodynamic observations including gravity, plate motions, dynamic topography, and excess ellipticity of the core-mantle boundary combined with seismic observations to investigate the thermo-chemical structure of the mantle through joint inversions. An outstanding issue, however, is the physical connection between mantle density anomalies and the surface geodynamic observations, which requires knowledge of the mantle viscosity structure. Here we perform joint inversions assuming different viscosity profiles and examine the dependence of the results on the viscosity. We first assume that mantle heterogeneity is due to thermal variations, which places a constraint on the relation between seismic velocity and density, and we subsequently relax the constraint to allow for potential nonthermal effects. In all of our joint inversions, a nonthermal origin of density anomalies is required to explain the geodynamic data, though the amount varies with the assumed viscosity structure. A common observation is a high-density chemical signal in the center of the large low-shear-velocity provinces at the base of the mantle resulting in a near neutral or slightly dense overall buoyancy there. Using the derived density models and their corresponding viscosity profiles, we also calculate instantaneous mantle flow fields. The predicted flow fields derived from joint inversions are generally similar but are quite different from flow fields using density models derived from a posteriori scaling of pure seismic tomography models.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Developing of nano sized fibrous eutectic silicon in hypereutectic Al–Si alloy by laser remelting

Laser surface melting followed by rapid solidification is an effective means to produce very fine microstructures with desirable surface properties because of the high rates of cooling associated with it. In the present study, the effect of rapid cooling on the silicon particle size, distribution, and morphology of hypereutectic Al–17wt.%Si and Al–20wt.%Si alloys have been investigated. A continuous-wave CO2 laser of wavelength 10.6 μm and a Trumpf Yb-YAG disk laser of wavelength 1.030 μm were used with a beam diameter of 1 mm and scanning speeds ranging from 5 to 100 mm/s. Rapid solidification increased the solubility of silicon in aluminum to approximately 5wt% and induced non-equilibrium hypoeutectic microstructures comprising large volume fractions of primary α-Al dendrites and ultrafine Al–Si eutectic of lamellar morphology. Both α-Al dendrites and the silicon particle sizes were significantly reduced from micron to nanoscale level. The morphology of silicon particles is modified from massive polygonal and plate-like to a mixture of fine fakes with round corners, feathery and fibrous, or a coral-like and thread-like structure. The eutectic silicon size and the interlamellar spacing were reduced to 30 and 10 nm, respectively. Furthermore, most of the silicon crystals in the eutectic region and the aluminum dendrites contained a significant number of twins which were considered as an essential contributor to the mechanism of growth and branching. Microhardness values increased two to threefold due to the refinement of the microstructural constituent.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Observation of stationary filaments with resonant magnetic perturbations in NSTX

The application of resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) induces striated heat fluxes on the divertor plate in tokamaks. These striated heat fluxes were previously considered strike point splitting by the intersection between the divertor and predicted magnetic lobe structures. Recently, the existence of stationary 3D filaments has been observed for the first time in National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) plasmas with toroidal mode number n = 3 RMPs. Magnetic field line tracing of these filaments from the midplane to the divertor is consistent with the quantity and the radial and toroidal location of striated heat fluxes observed on the divertor. This study suggests that divertor striated heat flux patterns are linked to these stationary filaments rather than to strike point splitting or magnetic lobe structures for NSTX. This finding will help guide future efforts to understand the heat flux striations in NSTX with RMPs in order to control and reduce the divertor peak heat flux.

RMPs↗

Facile Labeling of Sieve Element Phloem-Protein Bodies Using the Reciprocal Oligosaccharide Probe OGA488

Sieve elements of many angiosperms contain structural phloem proteins (P-proteins) that can interact to create large P-protein bodies. P-protein bodies can occlude sieve plates upon injury but the range of functional and physiological roles of P-proteins remains uncertain, in part because of challenges in labeling and visualization methods. Here, we show that a reciprocal oligosaccharide probe, OGA 488 , can be used in rapid and sensitive labeling of P-protein bodies in Arabidopsis, poplar, snap bean and cucumber in histological sections. OGA 488 labeling of knockouts of the two Arabidopsis P-protein-encoding genes, AtSEOR1 and AtSEOR2 , indicated that labeling is specific to AtSEOR2. That protein bodies were labeled and visible in Atseor1 knockouts indicates that heterodimerization of AtSEOR1 and AtSEOR2 may not be necessary for P-protein body formation. Double labeling with a previously characterized stain for P-proteins, sulphorhodamine 101, confirmed P-protein labeling and also higher specificity of OGA 488 for P-proteins. OGA 488 is thus robust and easily used to label P-proteins in histological sections of multiple angiosperm species.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

The complex structural and chemical nature of monolithic U-10Mo fuel and Zr barrier layer

Nanoscale microstructural characterization by advanced transmission electron microscopy techniques on a U-10Mo/Zr barrier layer monolithic fuel plate was performed to evaluate the microstructural evaluation after high burn-up. Gas bubble superlattice evolution, grain restructuring, and evolution of the Zr interaction layer is investigated through detailed electron microscopy characterization. The use of automated crystallographic orientation mapping to irradiated U-10Mo fuel highlights that the restructured ultra-fine grains are separated by high angle grain boundaries at a burn up of 4.42 × 10 21 fissions/cm 3 . Additionally, advanced chemical analysis and multi-variable statistical analysis shows spatial clustering of solid fission product precipitates. Finally, characterization of a newly observed porous nanocrystalline Zr region in the barrier layer is studied. Finally, this work provides insights into the grain subdivision and restructuring process while using advanced microscopy techniques to analyze fission products in neutron-irradiated U-10Mo fuel.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Naegleria fowleri: Protein structures to facilitate drug discovery for the deadly, pathogenic free-living amoeba

Naegleria fowleri is a pathogenic, thermophilic, free-living amoeba which causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Penetrating the olfactory mucosa, the brain-eating amoeba travels along the olfactory nerves, burrowing through the cribriform plate to its destination: the brain’s frontal lobes. The amoeba thrives in warm, freshwater environments, with peak infection rates in the summer months and has a mortality rate of approximately 97%. A major contributor to the pathogen’s high mortality is the lack of sensitivity of N . fowleri to current drug therapies, even in the face of combination-drug therapy. To enable rational drug discovery and design efforts we have pursued protein production and crystallography-based structure determination efforts for likely drug targets from N . fowleri . The genes were selected if they had homology to drug targets listed in Drug Bank or were nominated by primary investigators engaged in N . fowleri research. In 2017, 178 N . fowleri protein targets were queued to the Seattle Structural Genomics Center of Infectious Disease (SSGCID) pipeline, and to date 89 soluble recombinant proteins and 19 unique target structures have been produced. Many of the new protein structures are potential drug targets and contain structural differences compared to their human homologs, which could allow for the development of pathogen-specific inhibitors. Five of the structures were analyzed in more detail, and four of five show promise that selective inhibitors of the active site could be found. The 19 solved crystal structures build a foundation for future work in combating this devastating disease by encouraging further investigation to stimulate drug discovery for this neglected pathogen.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

The Tribomechadynamics Research Challenge: Confronting blind predictions for the linear and nonlinear dynamics of a thin-walled jointed structure with measurement results

The present article summarizes the submissions to the Tribomechadynamics Research Challenge announced in 2021. The task was a blind prediction of the vibration behavior of a system comprising a thin plate clamped on two sides via bolted joints. Both geometric and frictional contact nonlinearities are expected to be relevant. Provided were the CAD models and technical drawings of all parts as well as assembly instructions. The main objective was to predict the frequency and damping ratio of the lowest-frequency mode as function of the amplitude. Many different prediction approaches were pursued, ranging from well-known methods to very recently developed ones. After the submission deadline, the system has been fabricated and tested. The aim of this article is to evaluate the current state of the art in modeling and vibration prediction, and to provide directions for future methodological advancements.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Evaluation of RMI Ejecta Sourcing from Reconstructed Interfaces in 2D FLAG Flyer-Plate Simulations

This study investigates the performance of RMI ejecta sourcing from a reconstructed interface in two-dimensional FLAG ejecta flyer-plate simulations. Enabling the RMI ejecta model to operate on reconstructed interfaces has been a longstanding challenge in FLAG, limiting its applicability to experiments in which interface reconstruction is not required. Addressing this limitation is therefore an important step toward expanding the model’s predictive capability. The first phase of this effort focused on identifying a flyer-plate/target configuration that produces large ejecta clouds from two distinct shocks using the standard RMI ejecta model. A series of simulations examined the effects of flyer composition, layer thickness, and mesh resolution on shock structure and ejecta formation. VISAR traces were used to evaluate shock timing and identify configurations that produced a clear double-shock response. A copper middle-layer flyer with a doubled tin layer yielded the most favorable shock characteristics and was selected as the baseline configuration. After confirming this configuration performed as expected when running a reference FLAG version, it became the basis for three simulations: (1) a standard two-dimensional ejecta flyer-plate calculation using a reference FLAG version, (2) the same calculation with the reconstructed interface option enabled, and (3) a calculation employing ALE strategies to force the ejecta model to operate on the reconstructed interface. While the baseline simulation produced the expected ejecta response, the reconstructed interface approach did not result in measurable ejecta, indicating that this capability remains under development. These results highlight both the progress made and the remaining challenges in extending the RMI ejecta model to reconstructed interfaces.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Effect of porous transport layer properties on the anode electrode in anion exchange membrane electrolyzers

Anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEMELs) have recently received significant attention due to their potential advantages over existing commercial water electrolysis technologies. However, AEM electrolyzers have not yet met performance and durability targets. One of the critical components in achieving high AEMEL performance is the porous transport layer (PTL) which serves many critical functions in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrode. In this study, several OER PTL attributes were investigated, including: material of construction, fabrication method, feature size, porosity/density, and thickness. It was found that higher porosity helped facilitate multiphase (O 2 , H 2 O, etc.) transport; however, as the porosity increased, the catalyst layer adhesion to the PTL decreased, the contact resistance with the bipolar plate increased and the cell operating voltage increased. It was found that nickel-based PTLs allowed for lower operating voltages than similarly-structured stainless steel PTLs. Improved operating voltages were achieved with both fiber felts and sintered structures by porosity optimization. Furthermore, an increase in thickness did not affect transient voltage response, however, it had a negative effect on performance stability. As a result, the experimental findings presented here provide important insights for development of PTL materials and structures for efficient and low-cost water electrolysis.

08 HYDROGEN↗